A bit shocked at the title? Are you thinking only someone who is seriously flawed in his mental faculties would suggest such a far fetched thing that borders on blasphemy so far as certain religions of the world are concerned?

Actually I'm simply passing on what Someone else has already stated -- and that Someone is none other than God Almighty Himself!

God has made a number of statements regarding false deities which would include Allah, Hindu gods & goddesses, and a multitude of others. Note an instance of this in the book of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah acknowledges the true God by declaring:

But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble, and the nations will not be able to abide His indignation.

Jeremiah 10:10 NKJV

After Jeremiah's affirmation of the true God, this same God tells the prophet to make a statement relative to all false deities -- bear in mind this includes all deities apart from the living God of Israel, among which would be Allah, millions of Hindu deities, ancestral gods, the local deity of some heathen tribe in the middle of a jungle, the gods and goddesses which have been spawned in unregenerate minds down through the centuries, and the "invisible" deities such as those to which not a few American citizens give wholehearted devotion!

Thus you shall say to them: "The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens."

Jeremiah 10:11 NKJV

However, we are living in a time when voices within the ranks of those professing to be "Christian" are saying that Islam with its deity, Allah, Hinduism with its millions of gods, and other religions with their deities are just as legitimate as Christianity. Thus we are reminded that we are all actually worshipping the same "God" -- practices and names may differ, but we're all "brothers and sisters" in the human family, members of one global community, and we are all seeking the same thing! There has been no end to efforts which attempt to bring all world religions under one umbrella because humans are "family" and "community" who celebrate a rich "diversity" -- so therefore we have much to share with each other and much to learn from one another, with no one claiming his or her faith to be superior to any other!

Sounds great doesn't it? There's just one major problem -- it simply isn't so!

There are still some Christians who hold the Scriptures to have been inspired by the Holy Spirit and consequently these Scriptures constitute the absolute authority in all matters that have to do with one's faith and practice of that faith.

Equally important is the agreement of some Christians on the fact that God chose to become human, sacrifice His life for the sins of every human being ever born into this world, and triumph over death in a glorious resurrection. This leads further to an unwavering conviction that this incarnate God is none other than Jesus Christ, Who made incomparable claims regarding Himself and has placed demands upon us humans unlike anyone else has ever done!

It is on the basis of what Jesus said, demanded, and accomplished that Christians (those who take the Scriptures seriously) take the very unpopular position that any religious expression that does not make Jesus Christ its very heart and center -- its one and only foundation -- its solitary source of forgiveness, peace with God, and hope for time and eternity, is totally false and has nothing of significance to offer the struggling members of the human race! Belief in the deities of such religious expressions is a vain and hopeless quest because those deities are doomed to extinction!

(For a more detailed treatment on the unique claims of Jesus and His absolute demands on us humans as well as other exclusive information about Him see "God Dressed Up in Bones, Flesh, and Blood!" and "The Way - The Truth - The Life!" in the Further Reference section at the conclusion of this commentary).

It is argued that those who follow Allah of Islam, the many deities of Hinduism, and others are sincere and there are teachings in their faith that are quite similar to the teachings of Christianity. That is certainly true but the great divide which separates Christianity from all the others is over the issue of sin and atonement for the same.

Explore the other religions -- where do you find their deity becoming human, being brutally executed, and in the act of that execution becomes a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of every human being? Further, where do you find that the deity was resurrected from the dead shortly after that brutal execution? Did Allah, or any one of the millions of Hindu deities, or the host of deities in all other religious expressions outside of Christianity ever undergo such an experience?

And when was the last time you heard a follower of Allah, Hinduism, Buddhism, or some other "ism" testify as to how his/her "god" became human, bore the penalty for his/her sins, rose again from the dead, and is now present in his/her life giving peace and assurance in dealing with the every day challenges of this world? And when was the last time you heard followers of those "isms" express rock solid confidence concerning their eternal destiny? The fact is you'll never hear such statements -- sometimes it's hard to get even professing Christians to give such testimony!

What the "isms" have in common although practices may vary from one to the other is that redemption, if needed at all, is accomplished by human effort. There is always something we humans must do by way of "works" -- atonement is a result of human accomplishment and presto, we're all squared away with our god/s!

It is the issue of the cross and what Jesus accomplished by His sacrificial death on that cross which invokes the scorn of the world and its many religions. At the very best some are willing to recognize Christianity on one condition -- the condition being that Christians will not insist that Jesus Christ is exclusively the only way of salvation and hope. For by this insistence Christians are sending a clear message that any other way such as Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. is false and in total error!

Paul stated the situation well when he said:

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent." Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."

1 Corinthians 1:18-24 NKJV

Christians who take a correct view of their Scriptures and the Lord Jesus Christ have no other option -- they are under divine command due to Jesus saying:

Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen."

Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV

Our problem is that we too easily fall into the trap of argument or even worse -- that of engaging in "dialog!" Actually all we have to do is challenge the opposition to investigate the claims, the demands, and accomplishments of Jesus. That's it! The response they make will not only impact their lives for time but for eternity.

Jesus makes no allowance -- absolutely no concession in even a minute measure for the existence of Allah, and all other heathen deities! So do you see? Allah's, and other deities' days are numbered. It's simply a matter of time when it will come to pass as prophesied:

The LORD will be awesome to them, for He will reduce to nothing all the gods of the earth; people shall worship Him, each one from his place, indeed all the shores of the nations.

Zephaniah 2:11 NKJV

Then the seventh angel sounded: and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"………Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, "Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great." And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.

Revelation 11:15; 19:11-21 NKJV

For a limited time there will always be those who will say, "But…..," to what has just been written above. Just remember this -- the way to Hell is paved with cobblestones, and on each one is engraved the word "But!"

It is time for You to act, O LORD, for they have regarded Your law as void. Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, than fine gold! Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right; I hate every false way. Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them.

Psalm 119:126-129 NKJV

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July 18, 2002
by Clayton D. Harriger
Elder in Full Connection
W. PA Annual Conference
The United Methodist Church
and presently pastor of
Gipsy Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Gipsy PA

For comments, questions, or just plain old axe grinding, contact C. D. Harriger by clicking on Penelope, efficient mail hostess of CR's Range, and she will bring up the pre-addressed email form for you to fill out and send.